


Despite Everything, It's Still You

by sunflowersandsunshining



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Cute, Established Relationship, F/M, based off of a prompt from tumblr :), first person POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 11:45:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13189395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflowersandsunshining/pseuds/sunflowersandsunshining
Summary: The Inquisitor finds Cullen upset and works to comfort him.





	Despite Everything, It's Still You

“Cullen, can I come in?”

Silence. I knocked again.

“Love, are you there?”

A small grumble from within the office replied a small “yes.”

“Can I come in?” I repeated, my voice slowly becoming hoarse with worry. 

The same voice said something indistinct that I figured allowed me entry. I crept through the door tentatively, scared of what I may find within.

But I found nothing immediately in front of me. 

I looked around, concern shaping my face into a frown, trying to find any sign of him - but there was nothing to find other than the normal contents of the office. 

Then I heard it, above me - soft, muffled crying.

I raced up the ladder, my heart pounding with worry as I entered the small chamber above the main room. I found him there, head in his hands and sitting on his bed. 

“Oh, Cullen,” I sighed, my eyes already starting to shine with tears. His sadness was like an airborne disease; it infected everyone in the room until nobody was able to smile anymore. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he whispered through a sob. “Please, don’t worry.”

I walked over to the bed where he was sitting and put an arm around his naked torso, pulling him close as I kissed his cheek. “What’s wrong?”

He looked into my eyes, his face wet with tears. He paused, words catching in his throat and silencing him. Eventually, he said, “Do you still love me?”

“What?”

“Do you still love me?” He repeated, slower this time.

“Of course I do!” I nearly shouted. “Cullen, I--”

“Even with these?” He cried, looking down across his scarred body. “Even with my past?”

“What? Of course.” I whispered, interlacing my fingers in his tenderly. “Nothing could ever change my love for you.”

He didn’t speak for a long time, only letting the tears run freely down his face. I held his hand tightly, running my thumb over his knuckles gently as I tried to comfort the blizzard raging in his heart. He was always one to bottle up his emotions; letting them build until they explode in a shower of salty teardrops that broke my heart every time they fell. 

“I’m sorry.” He said eventually, his voice a deep rumble. “I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s okay.” I replied with a smile, kissing his hand lovingly. 

“No, I… I…” He trailed off, his voice growing weaker by the word. “I need to be able to protect you. And I can’t, if I…”

“Love,” I whispered. “It’s okay.”

“I’m sorry.” He repeated. “I’m not good enough.”

“Cullen… that’s nonsense.”

“Is it?” He grunted, his gaze trailing to the windows and the world outside. “Look at me.” He motioned to the scars running along his torso, some large, some small; like a map of battles fought and people lost. “How can I…” 

“You’re so much more than your wounds,” I murmured into his ear. “I fell in love with the man who loves chess, and hates losing, the ex-templar; I fell in love with him, not the scars on his chest.”

He bit his lip, his gaze falling to the floorboards below us. “I…”

“You’ve always been gold to me. Nothing will ever change that.” 

He went silent again. “I believe you.” He finally whispered.

I pulled my hand out of his grasp and laid it on his shoulder. “Is this okay?”

“Yes.” He breathed, his tears starting to stop flowing.

I traced the long, dark marks in his skin, memorizing the feeling of his skin against mine. The contrast of the scars and his flesh reminded me of the moon and the night sky - beauty shining through a thick cloud of darkness. 

“I love you.” I whispered, looking into his golden eyes. I kissed him tenderly, my hands locked around his waist softly; I never wanted to let him go. 

He broke away for a moment, a smile finally reaching his lips. “I love you too,” he responded, then kissed me again. This time, our bodies intertwined as we allowed ourselves to stay like that for longer; his arms wrapped around my shoulder as if he were keeping the whole world out of our moment. 

And everything felt right again.


End file.
